Is Identifying with God Embarrassing?
Psalm 25.3 records,…
1 Timothy 2.4-7declares, He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know
the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered Himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.
The will of God is for all people everywhere to know Him and to grow into His image becoming just like His first born Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The means God has ordained for accomplishing His will is through His people, the Church, obedient to His command to go and make disciples. Every person in Christ, is to be a part of bringing every person separated from Christ, to Christ, for reconciliation. (more…)
Mark 4.20 observes, the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace
it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.
What separates the good soil from the three other soils? All of the ground received the word. All of the ground welcomed the seed onto it’s presence. The purpose of the ground is to receive seed, but for what? (more…)
Proverbs 15.9 observes, A life frittered away disgusts GOD; He loves those who run straight for the
finish line.
When we think of frittering away our lives we think of using them on foolish things, of wasting time, talent or treasure. Parents think these thoughts of their children who spend too much time playing and too little time working or studying in order to work later for better pay. (more…)
John 4.34-35 observes, Jesus said, The food that keeps Me going is that I do the will of the One who
sent Me, finishing the work He started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
Food is fuel, fuel necessary for accomplishing the goals we have for our life. Not enough food and food is all we think about. Too much food and we are unhappy physically becoming lethargic until the fullness goes away. Too little food and we will eat anything. Too much food and we become picky. Too little food and we become scrawny and weak. Too much food and we become fat and weak. (more…)
Luke 15.7 records, Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over
ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
For many Christians, God’s words in this lesson are offensive. God in Jesus, in this chapter of the Bible, tells three stories all making the same point. In the last story, the Christians portrayed by the oldest son, are offended by God’s doings. What is offensive to Christians in these stories? (more…)
Luke 13.6-7 warns, what’s going on here? For three years now I’ve come to this tree expecting apples
and not one apple have I found. Chop it down! Why waste good ground with it any longer?
God expects His people to bear fruit. It is to His glory He said, that we bear much fruit. Since the beginning of our inception, when He spoke into existence the first man and the first woman, God has commanded that we be fruitful and multiply. (more…)
1 Corinthians 2.2 records, I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus
and what he did—Jesus crucified
The christian community is saying many things, some helpful, some distracting. Paul reminds us of what is most important and the first message the Church needs to be sharing with the world. (more…)
Romans 11.21-22 describes God this way, if God didn’t think twice about taking pruning shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn’t give it a second thought. Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God—ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don’t presume on this gentleness. The
moment you become deadwood, you’re out of there.
God is both immensely kind and intensely severe. He Who is love is He Who is holy. These two seemingly opposite qualities exist seamlessly in the One True God. How? (more…)
Mathew 12.30 observes, this is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on My side, you’re the
enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.
The universe is at war. We see the minor conflicts of man against man. God sees the major conflicts of devils against angels and devils against men who war against God and His servants. This war is greater because its casualties are greater. (more…)
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